Free Republic

Haifa Forest Fire 'One of Israel's Worst' A forest fire near Haifa, in northern Israel, has killed at least 40 people and injured many more. Firefighters are battling the blaze while paramedics evacuate those who were injured. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reached out to Italy, Cyprus and Russia for help in fighting the fire. The cause of the Israel forest fire is unknown. Damon Prison has been evacuated, but a bus carrying prison staff overturned while trying to escape. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office called it one of the worst known fires in Israel and ordered the military...

The Prime Minister’s Update Following are Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks earlier this evening (Saturday), 4.12.10, at the Haifa University forward command center: "As soon as the fire broke out, I set two goals: First, saving lives, and second, extinguishing the fire, which effectively means aerial efforts with international cooperation. The work on the ground is the responsibility of Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch, Israel Police Inspector-General Dudi Cohen and the Fire and Rescue Service, with the assistance of the IDF, MDA and all the bodies that are represented here. First of all, I would like to say that this...

Police forces arrested Saturday two brothers from the Druze village of Isfiya who are suspected of being responsible for the act of negligence which started the massive fire that was still raging in the Carmel in northern Israel. The two brothers, 16, were taken for investigation by Central Police Unit detectives on Saturday, who believe the brothers lit a fire near their home in the western part of Isfiya which spread and ultimately set the entire Carmel ablaze. Earlier Saturday, Police Commissioner David Cohen already said that the fire was caused by negligence, and not arson, during a situation assessment...